New Girls
by jkrowling17
Summary: What would happen if Alex and Casey went to the same high school...helping to change one that used to be an all-boy school? Casey/Alex FRIENDSHIP...R R more 2 come! **ON HIATUS**
1. Chapter 1: 1st Day

_Disclaimer: I don't own SVU or any of its characters. I just mess with them!_

It was September 2nd, the first day of school for Kimball-Union Academy. KUA was for the first time this year admitting six freshmen girls, and based on this "experimental" year it would consider becoming an officially co-educational school the following year. Needless to say, parents, alumni, and even the faculty were sharply divided. While many individuals felt KUA needed to expand its horizons and grow with the times, others felt keeping with tradition was its key to success. Nevertheless, the school community watched in curiosity as the school year and "trial run" began

A blonde haired, blue eyed fourteen-year old stared out of the window waiting for her English class to begin. She was undoubtedly gorgeous, with soft, delicate features and a lovely, petite figure. As the only female student accepted into KUA's _Odyssey_ program, she felt excited and ready for the challenge. But a small part of her felt strangely isolated and lonely, as the thirty or so students in _Odyssey_ went to classes only with each other. The first-period bell rang, pulling the lone female in the room out of her trance and into "study" mode. She pulled out a pink two-subject notebook, a matching folder, and two black pens, feeling all-too-happy with the look, feel, and smell of her perfectly organized new school supplies. The teacher, Mr. Megna, passed out his "course expectations" sheet, talking incessantly about things like his grading policy and what novels the students would be expected to purchase. About five or ten minutes into the period, a knock on the door pulled Mr. Megna out of his spiel and into the hallway where a guidance counselor was standing. After a few moments, Mr. Megna entered the room escorting a freshman with red, wavy hair, and motioned for her to sit in the empty seat next to the other female student. Perhaps not as conventionally attractive as her blonde counterpart, she had a certain quality that made her uniquely beautiful. Though far from overweight, she had a fuller, more muscular figure, and was slightly tall for her age. "Hi, I'm Alexandra Cabot," the blonde said as kindly and with as much enthusiasm as appropriate, "but my friends call me Alex." "Hey, Alex," the red-head said, shaking her hand, "Casey Novak." "I'm so glad I actually have someone to talk to," Alex continued, honestly relieved, though disappointed that she wasn't the only girl who made it into the program, "I thought I was going to have to be alone all day!" "I just found out this morning that I made it in! Apparently, the guidance department put my _Odyssey _placement exam in the wrong scantron machine, so it wasn't graded properly," Casey replied with a roll of her eyes, laughing slightly. "Ladies," Mr. Megna interrupted smiling, "will I have to separate you two already?" "No, Mr. Megna," the two answered sullenly in perfect unison.

Alex walked into the cafeteria later that day, attempting not to get trampled in the process of purchasing her lunch. After buying herself a turkey club and chocolate milk, she noticed the four girls she had not yet met talking and laughing. "Hi," she said, trying to hide her shyness, "mind if I sit? My name's Alex, by the way." "Um, actually," said the girl closest to her, very sarcastically, "why don't you go sit with your 'smart people' friends? You're too good for us anyway, right?" "Apparently so," Alex replied, barely thinking about what she was saying. As she walked away to find another table, she felt slightly guilty, but rationalized that they had at least that comment coming. Embarrassed, she sat at the one empty table left in the cafeteria, trying to hide her anger and sadness. Soon after, Casey walked into the cafeteria and purchased a tuna salad and an iced tea. She saw the table with the other female students and planned on sitting with them, until she caught a glance of Alex sitting all by her lonesome. "Mind if I sit down," Casey asked Alex after making her way through the zoo that was the cafeteria. "Of course, you don't have to ask," Alex replied, trying rather unsuccessfully to hide how grateful she was. "Hey, did you want to go over and sit with the other girls," Casey asked after a little while, thinking Alex may have perhaps been too shy to sit with strangers alone. "I tried," Alex replied, and then she proceeded to tell Casey exactly what had happened. With her father in the military, Casey was used to moving around constantly, being the "new kid," and facing rejection. Based on Alex's physical appearance, Casey garnered that Alex was usually accepted in most circles and not used to snobbery against her. Casey then thought of a truly inspired idea and gave Alex a mischievous smile. "I may not know you well," Alex said, "but that look generally doesn't lead to anything good." "Just come on," Casey said kindly, but with force.

Casey started to gently guide Alex by the wrist towards the other female students, prompting Alex to stop in her tracks and pull away. "Look, Casey," Alex said, somewhat annoyed, "this really isn't a big deal. If we _make _it a big deal, then…" "Trust me, Alex," Casey interrupted, her voice now compassionate, "I've been the 'new kid' enough to know that you need to stand up for yourself." With that, Alex reluctantly let Casey lead her over to the table. "We already told your friend, go sit with the other geeks," the same girl nastily said to Casey as she walked up. "Oh, we're not planning on sitting with you," Casey said, completely unfazed, "I just think you owe my friend here an apology." "And why should we apologize?" the girl said, apparently finding the whole situation hysterical. "Out of the goodness of your heart," Casey said, her lips already forming a smile, "I think my father would agree. He and his best friend, Principal Burke, are always talking about character." Perhaps not wanting to create a further scene, or perhaps actually affected by the 'Principal' comment, the four girls shockingly but reluctantly apologized. Alex and Casey walked back to their table, and once out of earshot, Alex asked skeptically, "So, is your father _really_ good friends with the Principal?" "He could be," Casey said, somewhat mysteriously, "if they had ever actually met." With that, Casey and Alex collapsed into their seats in a fit of laugher, Alex feeling incredibly touched that someone she barely knew would stick up for her like that.

The rest of the day was comparatively uneventful, with Alex and Casey just talking and getting to know each other. "I'm an only child, unfortunately. What about you?" Alex asked when the topic of conversation at lunch turned to siblings. "Lucky! I've got two brothers," Casey said enviously, "believe me, siblings are WAY overrated! You do any sports or anything?" "No sports per say, but I dance, if that counts," Alex answered, "ballet, tap, and jazz since I was five!" "Wow that's awesome," Casey continued with genuine enthusiasm, "I would never have the balance or grace for that! I do some basketball and tennis, but my best sport is softball." "Sweet," Alex continued, then after a brief pause, "so, what made you decide to come here?" "We moved from New Orleans last April, so all the entrance exams for the other prep-schools had passed," Casey said, very matter-of-factly, "we were about to register for the local public school when we saw an ad in the paper to 'help integrate KUA.' What about you?" "Well, my dad went here way back when," Alex replied, and then, with a laugh, added facetiously, "I can't decide whether he's more excited that his 'little princess' is following in his footsteps or upset that his alma mater is making such a drastic change!" Their pleasant banter was abruptly paused by the bell, forcing Casey and Alex to pack up and head to their geometry class. Neither girl particularly liked geometry, though it seemed easy, so the period was spent mostly passing notes and listening in the interim. By the end of the day Alex and Casey were inseparable, being enough alike to click yet different enough to get along. Walking out of the building, the two new friends hugged before going to their respective cars, both excited for the school year to come.


	2. Chapter 2: BFF

_A/N: Nope, I still don't own SVU or its characters…but one can dream, right??_

As the first few weeks of school unfolded and the leaves turned brilliant shades of crimson and gold, the new students began to settle into comfortable, school-time routines. Alex more often than not spent her study periods helping Casey grasp geometry, which much to Casey's dismay was not as easy as it had originally seemed. "How do you even _understand _this stuff?" Casey inquired one such free period on a Monday, glancing incredulously at the 97% engraved on Alex's last test, "I miss algebra!" "I guess geometry just jives with my brain," Alex replied, shrugging with a slightly embarrassed chuckle, "I did _far_ worse in algebra than you're doing in geometry. I'm usually hopeless with math!" Once Alex successfully showed her how to write a proof, Alex enlisted her friend's help with Chemistry, Casey's area of strength. Alex's head began to spin as Casey effortlessly explained laws of chemical bonding, but by the end of the free period Alex was fairly confident she would do well on her impending quiz. Once the bell rang signaling the end of the period, the two friends packed their bags and prepared to go to English class – the one area in which they both excelled.

"Hey, Casey," Alex said nervously as the girls were about to exit the study hall, "Are you doing anything this Friday night?" _She's probably not going to want to come,_ Alex thought, bracing herself for disappointment, _we've barely known each other a month._ "I don't think so," Casey said, mentally checking her calendar, "why?" "Well, it's my birthday on Thursday, and my mom and I were going out to The Cheesecake Factory and a movie," Alex explained hopefully. "My mom said I could bring a friend. You're more than welcome to sleep over too… if you want to, that is." As friendly as the two had become in-school, the pair had not done anything together outside of KUA yet. Casey was eager to get to know her friend better, and, to be completely honest, found it amusing that cool-as-ice, perfect Alex seemed shy asking her. "Of course, I'd love to!" Casey said, instantly relaxing her blonde companion, "Happy early Birthday, by the way!" After explaining the details of the small party, the two teens jovially made their way to English, laughing and chatting the whole way.

"Hey, mom," Casey yelled as she entered her medium brownstone, "I'm home!" "Hey, Casey," her mom shouted from upstairs, "How was school?" "Good," Casey answered as her mom walked downstairs, "Oh, you remember me telling you about Alex, right? Well, she invited me to sleep over her house Friday night for her birthday." "That should be fun," her mom said enthusiastically, "where do I need to take you?" "Alex said if I could get a ride to her house Friday night, her mom could take me home Saturday afternoon." After handing her mom the slip of paper Alex wrote her address on, her mom began preparing dinner. "What did you want to get her for a present?" her mom asked while breading enough chicken cutlets to feed an army, or Casey's brothers. "I hadn't thought about it yet, to be honest," Casey answered, then starting to contemplate what she could get for her friend. Suddenly, a realization hit her, which to her surprise had not entered her mind before: her parents were probably not of the same tax bracket as the Cabots. Alex didn't walk around flaunting her parents' money as the nouveau riche did, but rather held herself with the quiet poise and sophistication of someone from old money. After recalling that Alex's father attended KUA, this assumption of wealth became firmly entrenched. Casey's family certainly was financially secure, but they were middle to upper-middle class at best. Casey was only able to attend KUA on scholarship, and three children certainly did not leave much disposable income. The usual $20.00 gift certificate or latest album by that hot new artist was simply not going to do with Manhattan elite, Casey decided.

For the next few days, Casey struggled to find a gift that would be inexpensive without seeming insufficient, but was having little luck. On Wednesday, she was vacuuming her room when the Oreck bumped against a hard object under the bed. At first unsure of what it could be, Casey shut off the noisy machine and searched, finding her wooden beading box. In elementary school and junior high, Casey made a hobby of creating intricate and breathtaking bracelets, necklaces, and earrings for herself and close friends and family. She even accumulated a considerable amount of Swarovski crystal beads over the years through allowance money, birthdays and Christmases. She opened the box to look over her collection, which she had forgotten about in the craziness of moving last spring, and decided she would make a stunning bracelet for Alex. She chose a gorgeous pattern of navy, ice blue, and white Swarovski crystals and happily spent most of the evening weaving the perfect gift.

Friday came faster that week than either girl could imagine. Through every class that day, the discussion between them revolved around the sleepover. Casey was excited and sure she was going to have fun, though slightly apprehensive. Casey had never lived in a city or been to private school before, so she did not often encounter the upper-class and had no idea how Alex's family would be. Once Casey got home, she showered, put on a cute, comfortable outfit playing up her green eyes, wrapped her gift, and got ready to go. On the way, she envisioned what she felt the "Cabot estate" looked like – big, lush green lawn, gated, with a driveway going for miles.

As they entered the neighborhood and Alex's street, however, Casey realized her assumption was more than a little off. "I think this is it," Casey's mom said, quickly checking the address. "Have fun," she continued, giving her daughter a hug. "Bye, mom," Casey replied, "I'll call you tomorrow." The house wasn't the giant estate Casey envisioned. It was instead a small cape, with a well-manicured lawn surrounding it. _Perfect for an only child,_ Casey thought. It was a light tan color, with perfectly painted blue shutters. It was simple and elegant; _very much like Alex_, Casey mused. In the driveway, rather than the Mercedes or Audi Casey envisioned was a fairly new looking Toyota.

"Hi, you must be Casey," a tall, blonde woman said smiling as she opened the door, "Come on in!" She was an older, taller version of Alex, though her features were slightly more refined, slightly sharper. She had the same cool, ice-blue eyes, the same full, pouty mouth, the same tiny nose. "I'm Alex's mom, Mrs. Cabot," the woman continued, "But please, call me Stacey." "Nice to meet you," Casey replied, shaking her hand, "Thank you so much for having me!" "Any friend of Alex's is always welcome here," Stacey Cabot said kindly and sincerely, "I think she's watching the Yankees-Red Sox game in the other room!" Sure enough, as Casey went into the living room, she heard Alex give a cheer as Derek Jeter hit a home run out of Fenway Park.

"Hey, Casey," Alex greeted her friend excitedly, "I'm so glad you could make it!" "Wouldn't miss it!" Casey replied with the same level of joviality, "So, who's winning the game?" "Ugh, the Red Sox are beating us like a rug," Alex said, suddenly dejected, "We're losing 10 to 4!" "What can I say?" Casey replied mischievously, taking a seat on the sofa, "My mom grew up in Littleton, Mass. I've been a Red Sox fan since before I could walk!" "To think I had any respect for you whatsoever," Alex replied facetiously, then continued with a chuckle, "I mean really, you guys are cursed, remember?" The girls finished watching the Yankees' humiliating defeat to Boston, and then were on their way to the Cheesecake Factory. Alex ordered the basil salmon, while Casey chose the chicken parmesan, and both girls got a giant slice of strawberry New York style cheesecake for dessert. Once the dinner was finished, the giggling duo went to see the latest _Indiana Jones_ movie. While neither was particularly impressed with the film, Casey did show Alex the very Louisiana custom of eating milk duds in the same mouthful as butter-saturated popcorn. When the girls got home, Alex opened Casey's card and bracelet, and quickly vowed to never take off her new favorite piece of jewelry.

After changing into their pajamas and doing nails, mud masks, and other standard "sleepover" basics, Casey and Alex made their way to Alex's room to get ready to 'sleep.' After setting up the pop-up trundle bed, Alex unearthed her mile-high stack of _People _Magazines, and the girls quickly lost themselves in the latest celebrity gossip while sitting on their beds. "I used to want to be a TV actress when I was like, five," Casey confessed, chuckling at the idea, "Not that I would have any talent. I think I just wanted the attention!" "Aw, that's really cute," Alex said, "I went through that phase, too, I think. Now I'm planning on being a district attorney." "Wow, you and I just can't be on the same side tonight," Casey said laughing, referring to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, "I want to be a public defender!" The two soon went back to their _People _after chatting for a while, Casey engrossed in a particularly interesting article on a "Hero among Us," and Alex flipping through the latest _Dancing with the Stars_ news. "Oh, Alex, I forgot my geometry book at school. Could I copy down the homework problems before I leave tomorrow?" Casey asked, suddenly realizing that she had placed the book in her locker after lunch. "Alex?" Casey averted her eyes from the article and saw Alex fast asleep, her face in her magazine. Casey then checked her watch and realized it was nearly 3:00 am! She quickly stacked the magazines in a relatively neat pile, glided the magazine from under Alex's head without waking her, and gently placed the covers over her sleeping friend. Casey, now realizing how exhausted she was, turned the light off and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning around 11:00, both teens awoke to the smell of sausage and pancakes. Running out into the kitchen, Alex and Casey were greeted with an enthusiastic, "Morning, sleepy-heads!" from Mrs. Cabot. "Oh, Alex, dad called about twenty minutes ago," Mrs. Cabot interjected happily, "He just got home from work, so you can call him on his apartment phone. It's only about 9:30 there, so he should still be up. Anyway, ladies, I'm off to the Laundromat. Behave yourselves!" After spending forty five minutes on the phone and concluding with a, "Love you, daddy! Goodnight," Alex returned to the table and quickly finished her now-cold breakfast. "Now that I'm thinking about it, I didn't tell you" Alex continued nonchalantly, explaining the phone call to the quietly curious Casey, "but my dad's actually in Japan right now on business." "He must be enjoying that," Casey enthusiastically replied, loving the idea of traveling to foreign nations, "what do your parents do, if you don't mind my nosiness?" "Well, my dad works for Amway. His boss couldn't make it to the Japan merger, or something, so my dad kind of got thrown into the trip last minute as a representative of sorts," Alex said with uncharacteristic openness, "My mom's an RN. Now her hours are pretty light, but her old schedule was hell on her. What about your parents?" "Well, I'm an army brat," Casey answered, "thus the move from New Orleans. Right now my dad's working in Homeland Security. My mom's a stay-at-home mom." After more chit-chat and light banter, the girls got dressed for the day, Casey putting on jeans and a polo shirt and Alex dressing in a leotard and tights for her afternoon dance class. Once Mrs. Cabot returned from Laundromat, Alex photocopied the geometry pages and the Cabots dropped Casey off on their way to the dance studio. "Thank you so much for coming!" Alex sincerely gushed as the car pulled up to Casey's house, "Seriously, come over anytime!" "Thanks for having me!" Casey replied with equal enthusiasm, embracing her blonde companion, "We'll have to do this again soon!" Casey realized that she had found for the first time in her constantly-uprooted life an accepting, kind voice. Alex realized that she had found someone she wasn't afraid to let behind her cool, ice queen cover. In short, the sleepover turned Casey and Alex from close acquaintances to best friends.

_A/N: I know my baseball/television references don't make sense w/ the time period…but I don't know older players or TV shows, lol! In case you couldn't tell, I'm a huge Red Sox fan :-) Since Alex is my favorite character of any show ever, I wanted to make her the Red Sox Fan, but she's too much of a true New Yorker for that! Reviews are always appreciated, even flames!!!_


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